Qualifying Marshalling dives

[Simon Brookes]

Can anyone advise please; Recently discussed at our club has been whether marshalling at an inland site can be used as legitimate marshalling experience for the signing off of some of the marshalling requirements in the new Dive Leader and Advanced Diver training programme.

Has this been discussed or aired elsewhere?

[Mike Halligan]

Can anyone advise please; Recently discussed at our club has been whether marshalling at an inland site can be used as legitimate marshalling experience for the signing off of some of the marshalling requirements in the new Dive Leader and Advanced Diver training programme.

Simon,

I guess it depends. My reading of DP1, as preparation for assessment in DP2, suggests to me that I would be wasting my time using an inland site. My opinion (and my understanding of my DO's feelings in respect of DP&M) is that avoiding the issues by using an inland site would not help improve our current woeful standard.

As to AP1 and AP2, I think the lesson objectives and achievement targets clearly rule out an inland site.

HTH

Mike

[Simon Brookes]

I guess it depends. My reading of DP1, as preparation for assessment in DP2, suggests to me that I would be wasting my time using an inland site. My opinion (and my understanding of my DO's feelings in respect of DP&M) is that avoiding the issues by using an inland site would not help improve our current woeful standard.

As to AP1 and AP2, I think the lesson objectives and achievement targets clearly rule out an inland site.

HTH

Mike

Even if it is simply the assistant Dive Marshal? Not seen the notes for AP1 & 2. The objectives for DP&M and Dive Leading are to dive inteligently and in a planful way, there are different criteria for inland istes(non tidal) than for tidal or fully marine environments.
Could one be guilty if not questioned thoroughly enough of glossing over some of the vital prep work required when marshalling a shore dive or one from a charter boat?

Simon.

[John Williams]

Simon,

I think that most would agree that before being signed off as a competent Marshal it would be necessary to act as Assistant Marshal and Dive Marshal (with an experienced person as a safety net) on a dive that represented a dive typical of your branch before you were allowed to act as Dive Marshal without a safety net.

On the way there ALL marshalling experience is positive and useful. Indeed the BSAC actively promotes progressive learning - so acting as Assistant Marshal at an inland site well known to you and your branch is a very good place to start.

Gradually add complexity and other marshalling problems (tides, boats, accomodation, compressors, nitrox, training objectives, etc etc etc). If it takes more than the minimum required number of dives - who cares?...you will have gained more experience than the minimum and will have done it successfully by taking small bites from the proverbial elephant.

Before you get signed off to Marshal dives on behalf of the branch without supervision of any kind (and potentially without experienced divers around to turn to for help and advice) your DO will expect to have seen (or have someone they trust see) you perform well when confronted with a fairly complex dive. This is only fair - since they would be signing your book to say that you were capable of organising such a dive.

HTH


John

[vice-chairman]

Hi Simon,

Dive Marshalling is an area that has sometimes been overlooked and in some cases, not always fully understood. As you know, Dive Marshalling is far more than logging divers in and out.

When we re-wrote the diver training programme we took the opportunity to introduce Dive Marshalling from the very early grades and progress this all the way through to Advanced Diver ? Progressive Instruction!

At DL and AD level the student should already be well versed in the more basic aspects of Dive Marshalling, we are therefore building on skills rather than introducing the basics.

The Instructor Handbook (page 349 ? 356 for DL and page 427 ? 434 for AD) states the requirements very clearly. It is my view that, within the UK, it is almost impossible to complete these tasks at an inland site, particularly a multi-day expedition to an unknown site.

Could I suggest that you go through the Instructor Handbook in detail and if anything is still not clear by all means please get back to me.

Cheers???.Allan